Percolator



2 1 I BY 3 Y ATTORNEY T. ABTMEYER.

PERCOLATOR.

\ mucmou mm Inn, 1913. nzuzwca NOV. Is. 1911.

1,308,023. Patented July 1, 1919.

I I INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE ABTMEYER, 0F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WEST- INGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PERCOLATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1, 1919.

Application filed March 28, 1913, Serial No. 757,354. Renewed November 16, 1917. Serial No. 202,424.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Tnnononn An'rMnYnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Percolutors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric heating apparatus and it has special reference to electrically heated liquid-percolating de- "ICCS.

The object of my invention is to provide a percolat-or which shall be rapid and efiicient in action, inexpensive, durable and compact in construction, and pleasing in ap pearance.

Heretofore, comparatively large bodies of liquid have been isolated in the. heating chambers of percolators, and, in consequence, considerable time has been required to fiash the liquid into steam. Inefiiciency of operation has also been due, in many cases, to failure to locate the heater element in sufficiently close proximity to the liquid to be heated. Some of the parts of percolators of former types have also been of unusual and intricate form, thereby increasing the cost of manufacture.

According to my invention, I provide a percolator in which a comparatively thin annular column of liquid is isolated for heatelement is disposed directly adjacent to such column throughout its length in order to rapidly and efficiently convert the isolated liquid into steam. The construction of my percolator is very simple, inasmuch as it comprises, for the most part, cylindersof sheet metal, thus reducing the cost of manufacture.

:In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 in" and the heater 1 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially insection, of a liquid-containing vessel embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view, in longitudinal section, of a modification of certain parts of my invention; Fig. 3 is a view showing the spool upon which the heating element is mounted; Fig. 4. is a plan-view of one part of the liquidspreading device employed in my invention; Fig. 5 is a view, in side elevation, of the liquid-spreading device; Fig. 6 is a sectional view on lines VI-V'I of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a sectional view, with parts broken away, on line VIL VII of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a plan view, partly in section and with parts broken away, of the valve mechanism located in the lower end of my apparatus, the section being taken substantially along line VIIIVI*II of Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is a plan view of the terminal plug employed in my percolator; Figs. 10 and 11 are views in plan and in side elevation, respectively, of one part of the liquid-spreading device employed in the modification of my invention shown in :Fig. 2; and Fig. 12 is a plan view of another part thereof.

Referring to the drawing, a vessel 1 of any suitable form and dimensions contains a body of liquid .2, a percolating element 3 having its lower end immersed in said liquid, a perforated containing-cup 4t disposed near the upper end of said element, and a suitable cover member 5.

The percolating element 3 comprises a heater 6, a heat-insulated incasing member 7 a liquid-spreading device 8, and a bottom valve mechanism 9. The heater 6 embodies a cylindrical outer sheath 10, a heating element 11 disposed in the lower end thereof and insulated therefrom and wound upona suitable hollow spool 12 of lava 01' other insulating material. Leads 13, insulated and protected by a plurality of porcelain beads 14, or in some other suitable manner, extend through an internal body 15 of in fusorial earth or the like and through a terminal-plug 16 of bakelite or other suitable material disposed within the upper end of the sheath 10 and securely held therein by a plurality of annular indentations 17 in said sheatln or by other suitable means. A suitable terminal socket 18, embodying supply conductors 19, is employed for making electrical connections to the leads 13. The incasing member 7 is disposed around the heater 6 to form a thin-walled annular chamber 20 adapted for the liquid. The upper rim of the member 7 is provided with a pluralitypreferably threeof spot indentations 2-1, for centering the heater 6 (see Fig. 6). Another shell 22 envelops the lower end of the incasing member 7 to form an air space-23 for purposes of heatinsulation. The upper end of the shell 22 supports the perforated cylindrical cup 4, which is adapted to contain ground coffee 24, or the like. The liquid-spreading device 8 is disposed above the containing-cup 4 and comprises two members, the lower member being attached to the incasing member 7 and the upper member 26 to the heater sheath 10. The lower member comprises a concentrically-disposed cylinder 27 and an integral fiat flange 28 disposed flush with the upper rim of the shell 7. The upper member 26 comprises a concentrically disposed disk 29 and a plurality of radiallydisposed grooves 30 to serve as liquid channels. (See Fig. 5). The bottom gravity type valve mechanism 9 embodies a substantially. frusto-conical tubular supporting base 31 having edge notches or recesses 32, thereby forming a plurality of spaced feet 32 An upper cylindrical tube portion 33 engages the lower end of the shell 22 to form a circular recess 34 below the lower end of the heater 6. An integral disk 35, having a central opening 36, partially forms a lower wall for the recess 34, and a movable disk 37, having edge notches or recesses, is so disposed as to cover and uncover the opening 36, thereby performing the functions of a check valve. It is understood that any other suitable means for permitting entrance of the liquid may be employed.

In the modification of my invention shown in Fig. 2, the percolating element 3 comprises a heater 38, the heat-insulating inc-asing member 7 and the outer associated shell 22, a liquid-spreading device 39 and a bottom valve mechanism 40. The heater 38 embodies a heater element 41, of the helicallywound wire type and the outer sheath 10 inclosing said element and insulated therefrom. A hollow lava spool 42, or the like, serves as a core for the element 41, and insulating material 15, such as infusorial earth, is employed to fill the hollow central portion of said spool. Heater terminal leads 43 project through the top of the sheath 10 and are connected to a supply circuit in any suitable manner. The liquid-spreading device 39 comprises two members, the lower member 44 being attached to the incasing member 7, and the upper member 45 being attached to. the sheath 10 and superposed on said lower member. The lower member has the form of a concentrically disposed ring 46 having a conical flange 47 provided with a plurality of radial grooves 48. The upper member 45 comprises a cylindrical body portion and a frusto-conical flange that covers the grooves in the lower member 44.

The bottom valve mechanism 40 comprises a lower frusto-conical base 49, an upper ring 50 that is integral with said base and is adapted to engage the lower end of the outer shell 22, and an intermediately disposed in tegral disk 51 having a centrally disposed opening 52, through which liquid may enter the heater 38.

I do not wish to be restricted to the specifi structure and details herein set forth,

as it will be understood that many changes may be made within the spirit and scope of my invention, but desire that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. A percolator embodying a. fountain tube and means for holding said tube in position, a removable heating member having an electric heating element of tubular form disposed in the .bottom thereof, said member being concentrically disposed in and slightly spaced from said tube, supply conductors for said element disposed within said heating member, and a gravity-type valve disposed in the bottom of said tube.

2. A percolator embodying a removable unitary structure comprising a fountain tube, a heatingmember having an electric heating element axially disposed in the bottom thereof, said member being concentrically disposed in and slightly spaced from said tube, and means disposed in the bottom of said tube for intermittently admitting liquid thereto.

3. A percolator embodying a fountain tube. an electric heating member concentrically disposed in and slightly spaced from said tube, and a gravity type valve disposed in the bottom of said tube andhaving a plurality of spaced feet for supporting said tube and for permitting liquid to enter said valve intermediate said feet.

4. In a heating apparatus, the combination with a liquid-containing vessel and a 100 body of liquid disposed therein, of an electric heating member, a fountain tube concentrically disposed around and slightly spaced from said member and extending substantially to the top of said vessel, and a 105 valve disposed in the bottom of said tube and having a plurality of spaced feet for supporting said tube and for permitting liquid to enter said valve intermediate said feet.

5. In a heating apparatus, the combination with a liquid-containing vessel and a body of liquid disposed therein, of a removable unitary'structure comprising a fountain tube of unifornidiameter, an electric 115 heater concentrically disposed in said tube to form throughout it length a thin annular opening therein, means for admitting liquid to said fountain tube, and means having openings communicating with said tube and 2 disposed above the normal level of said llqllld for subsequently diverting the path thereof.

6. A percolator embodying a cylindrical fountain tube, a cylindrical electric heater 12 concentrically disposed in said tube to form throughout its length a thin annular opening therein, a second tube concentrically spaced around said fountain tube, a gravit type valve disposed in the bottom of said 1 0 fountain tube for admitting liquid thereto, a liquid-spreading device disposed at the upper end of the fountain tube, supply conductors for said electric heating member disposed wholly within said member, an insulating plug disposed within one end thereof, and tern'iinals for said supply conductors embedded in said plug.

7. A percolator comprising a heater tube, an electric heater in said tube, a fountain tube having an inlet adjacent its lower end and an outlet adjacent its upper end and being otherwise in'iperforate, a two-part liquid-spreading device communicating with "said outlet, one part of said device being mounted on said fountain tube and the other part being attached to said heater tube, a thin elongated liquid passage extending from said inlet to said outlet and disposed between said heater and said fountain tube, said thin passage being adapted to form the liquid entering the said inlet into a thin stream adjacent said heater tube, whereby the liquid is rapidly heated by said heater as it flows upwardly in said passage to said outlet.

,8. A percolator comprisinga heater tube, an electric heater in said tube, a fountain tube having an inlet adjacent its lower end and an outlet adjacent its upper end and being otherwise impcrforate, a two-part liquid-spreading device communicating with said outlet, one part of said device being attached to said fountain tube and the other part being attached to said heater tube, a thin liquid passage between said heater tube and said fountain tube adapted to form the liquid entering the said inlet into a thin' stream adjacent said heater tube, whereby the liquid is rapidly heated as it flows upwardly in said passage to said outlet, and a wall spaced from the outer side of the founta-in tube to form a heat-insulating space around same.

9. A percolator comprising a fountain tube of substantially uniform cross-section throughout and having an inlet adjacent its lower end. and an outlet adjacent its upper end and being otherwise imperforate,

a twopartliquid-spreading device in comn'uinic-ation with said outlet, one part of said device being attached to said fountain tube, an electric heater in said tube of similar cross-section to which the second part of said liquid-spreading device is attached, the exterior surface of said heater being disposed close to, but not in contact with, the inner surface of said fountain tube throughout' the length of thelatter to provide a thin annular elongated liquid passage be tween said tube and heater, whereby the liquid to be heated is formed into an annular film around said heater and is rapidly heated as it flows through said Passage to said outlet.

10. In a percolator, the combination with a vessel adapted to contain a body of liquid, of a receptacle suspended in the mouth of said receptacle above said liquid, a cover for said receptacle and said vessel having an opening therein, a fountain tube extending downwardly through said receptacle and having an inlet in its lower end below the level of the liquid, and an outlet in its upper end above said receptacle and below said cover, an electric heater extending through the opening in said cover into said tube, the exterior surface of said heater being disposed close to, but not in contact with said fountain tube throughout the length of the latter to provide a thin annular elongated liquid passage between said tube and heater whereby the liquid to be heated is formed into an annular film around said heater and is rapidly heated as it flows through said rnnononn ABTMEYER.

l/Vitnesses J. R. BACKOFEN, B. B. Hmns. 

